William Whitmore of Jackson unloads his truck at the Jackson County incinerator. Jackson City officials recently said the incinerator costs is one of the reasons City Council voted to repeal the single hauler trash ordinance.(MLive File Photo)

JACKSON, MI – City officials and at least one Jackson County commissioner agree that the Jackson County incinerator is costing residents a considerable amount of money for their trash pickup.

Greer said during the meeting that a single hauler system in Jackson "isn't a dead issue," adding "the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages."

Jackson Mayor Martin Griffin, City Manager Patrick Burtch and Jackson County Commissioner John Polaczyk, 8th District, were also present.

Greer said one of the reasons City Council members voted last month to repeal the trash ordinance was that the county incinerator – with its $77.70 per ton tipping fee – remains open.

Jackson County's tipping fee remains the highest in the Midwest and is one of the highest in the country, according to Griffin, who said the incinerator's tipping fee is seven times that of other landfills in the area.

"It's about $11 a ton to dump your trash in Adrian," he said.

Greer said the companies that bid to be the single hauler in Jackson came back with bids that were "high" but relatively lower than what city residents are paying now.

"When we bid out for the single hauler ordinance we had two companies come back, with the low bidder asking for $53 per quarter for weekly trash pickup (and biweekly recycling)," Greer said. "That's about $17.68 per month by my count, which is high, but it is still less than what the vast majority of people are paying now."

The Jackson County incinerator will lose $2.4 million in funding from the state in September. Should the incinerator close, city officials have said trash pickup would cost residents significantly less money.(MLive File Photo)

Burtch said residents in the City of Jackson now pay approximately $1.8 million a year for trash pickup.

"With residents paying $53 per quarter, residents would pay about $1.4 million per year," he said, adding that if the incinerator were to close, the number would drop significantly.

According to bid documents, the $53 per quarter would drop to $40 should the incinerator close or trash hauling companies be allowed to take trash out of the county.

"Trash right now that is picked up in county must stay in county," Greer said. "We're a closed county because of regulations put forward by county commissioners. If that incinerator should close, hopefully the county will repeal that ordinance."

"My goal is to close the incinerator, decrease tipping fees and increase recycling," he said. "To convert the steam to electricity and make it cheaper than Consumers Energy, we would have to raise the tipping fee from $77 per ton to $81 (after the state contract is broken)."

State officials have said they will stop buying steam from the incinerator Sept. 30.

Burtch said if the tipping fees were to increase, the cost would most likely be transferred to county residents in their trash bill.

"It's likely that if the incinerator stays, the operating costs would increase, and the cost would trickle down to the residents," he said.

Contact Will Forgrave at wforgrav@mlive.com or 517-262-7554. Follow him on Twitter at @WillForgrave.